intellectual but nothing else

[RustyAngeL]

11 hours ago, suray2 said:

Welcome!  I find giving thanks to God daily....and throughout the day for even small things, helps me to know He is with me and loving me personally

Amen suray2.  God inhabits the praises of His people.  We are His property and the enemy is the father of lies.  We need to hone in on that still small voice that is our spirits.  He is the One that speaks the truth.

[aaron11]

Thanks All. I'm trying to focus on Philippines 4 this week in an effort to apply myself with His help to all of life's many difficult people, places and things.

[aaron11]

Fellowship would be good (face to face) but in my area it just isn't available.

[Hippie333]

4 hours ago, algots said:

It's always available. We just have to determine how bad do we want it. What are we willing to do to obey God?

We need to view God's commands as commands, not suggestions. Sometimes, we hold God to His word, but try so hard to find ways not to honor ours.

God, I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth...as long as it's not outside of the five mile radius around my house.

5 miles is too far for some.....

[johnc5055]

On ‎3‎/‎21‎/‎2016 at 4:07 PM, aaron11 said:

I am a Christian. Jesus is my Lord and savior and I know this to be true. It's just I don't 'feel' his presence.

I am completely new here so not sure if this will be posted. I see myself in this question/comment. For me, "feeling" God is something that happens very rarely. I hear other believers talk about feeling God often – for me it just isn’t that way. This can be a source of doubt; why am I the odd man out – is something wrong? My fiancé is one of those who feels God at work in her life constantly and I can honestly say I envy that; it would be great but it just isn’t me.

It is important to note that God asks us to trust Him, not feel Him. He has given me all that I need to trust Him – I found that I don’t need to feel Him to know He is there. I have strong evidence of God in my life and in the lives of people around me. This evidence strengthens my faith whether I feel anything or not. Faith is not an emotion; Hebrews 11:1 says faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. I have assurance and conviction because of the things that I see around me which I know to be true.

I would also say that it is counterproductive to compare my faith with someone else’s. Beware of thinking a healthy walk with the Lord should look a certain way. There are telltale signs that scripture points out as evidence of the Spirit at work (fruit, works, love, …) but that doesn’t mean our walks all look the same. Men are generally very different from women in the “feeling” department and individuals are all over the place by every measure. We are one body with many parts – each part has its unique purpose. If I try to give a witness regarding my “feelings”, and those feelings are not what I think they should be, I run the risk of giving a false witness. I can only witness about those things I know to be true based on my own personal experience. Fortunately, that leaves me plenty to work with.

God bless!

[enoob57]

On ‎3‎/‎21‎/‎2016 at 3:07 PM, aaron11 said:

I am a Christian. Jesus is my Lord and savior and I know this to be true. It's just I don't 'feel' his presence.

We do not seek God through our flesh... it is a journey of (s/S)pirit for our bodies are not redeemed and we
are at war with the flesh! Little whispers of: if I can't see it, if I can't touch it, I can't feel etc. but with The
(s/S)pirit the resource and foundation is within the Word of God alone through faith formed by the intake
of said Word. Never rely upon the emotion only the mind and reasoning with The Lord in Word... do no
matter the emotion present when required     Love, Steven

 

[manuelf324]

KJV  2Cor  13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?  

See if you're truly saved question your faith. Be true to yourself dont play around with your salvation. 

 

[kwikphilly]

Blessings aaron11

    You did say you are a Christian so I am unsure why y8ou have come to the "Seeker" Forum ask for advice? Do you "feel" unsure about your Salvation because you do not "feel" His Presence? I am a little confused,perhaps you thought this Forum is for "seeking" advice?I sure hope not because you are Saved by the Grace of God because you know WHO your Savior is and that by His Blood,His Precious Blood,,,,you have the guaranteed seal of Redemption upon your spirit,,,,,,,,,,,,

As Rusty Angel has said.....

Quote

Don't be dismayed.  We have all gone through this.  Don't depend on your feelings.  Be still and know that He is God.

 It is not about "feelings" ,,,,,it is knowing what you know,,,,WHO you are in Christ because God says it is so!!!!!!

Perhaps it may help you to know of one of my personal experiences,so you know it is a very normal thing many of us go through at sufferent times,,,,,,, Many many years ago,especially as a young(immature) Christian I used to constantly walk on clouds & feel exhilarated & "in Spirit" more frequently than not,,,,,,I could just begin Praising the Lord & the very hairs on my arm would stand on end!!!!! It was a RUSH that no drag racing,sky diving or any other adrenaline producing ,thrill seeking,stunt could duplicate,,,,,Just Heavenly,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,& then it ALL stopped!

Well,I was so dismayed,I thought"Where did you go Lord?' Why am I not 'in Spirit"? Whats going on? And honestly I just hungered & yearned to "feel" the Power of the Holy Spirit,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,as I matured I began to Understand by the Wisdom & Understanding of the Holy Spirit...I wasn't DOING anything differently but God was,,,,,it was time I grew up & got off "milk",,,,,I no longer needed His help in that way but I had to learn that my heart,mind & emotions are unreliable & irrelevant to simply having my Faith firmly established in the living Word,,,,,,like a baby first learnning to walk & the parents hold your hand,you are secure & willing to take those steps because you "feel" the support of their hands,,,,,,,,as you grow you are okay on your own,,,,lol-because you KNOW they are only in the next room,you walked out of the room but they are still where they always are(at your beckon call or cry for help & under their watchful eye)

I want to encourage you,you do not lack Faith but yet it must be firmly establish in His Word & in Christ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,how does one do that? By seeking God in the Word ,in building that personal relationship,prayer,praise etc,,,

Quote

King James Bible
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.                                 Romans 10:17

In the Word of God we receive His Blessed Assurances to stand on our Position of Victory because of the Finished work of the Cross,,,,,,Because of Jesus we are much more than Gods creation ,we are His Children & we can call Him "Abba",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,He is always with us,He abides in us,we do not have to "feel" Him because we are bold & confident in His Promises

Quote

King James Bible
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
                                                                                                                           Isaiaha 41:10

Pray the Heart & Mind of Jesus,walk in Spirit & in Truth,,,,,,,,,,,,,,& to God be the Glory!!!!                      With love-in Christ,Kwik

[HeartSearcher]

(feeling) him is always encouraging but there is a difference between feeling his presence and being in his presence. God's favorite game is hide and seek often times he will purposely hide his presence yet never leave it is in this time when you cannot sense him or feel him that he is hoping you will seek him out all more. a hungry heart for him will seek him out in any circumstance will go to any lengths and limits to find him to know him to develop a deeper bond and love with him.

 

This is why he hides his presence sometimes

[Marcus O'Reillius]

On 3/21/2016 at 4:07 PM, aaron11 said:

I am a Christian. Jesus is my Lord and savior and I know this to be true. It's just I don't 'feel' his presence.

When I approached the Bible intellectually, I came to believe.

However, my intellectual capacity convinced me that I was able to run my own life quite well.

It was not until I came to a crisis point in my life that I made the crossover from head to heart-felt presence.

It is my opinion that this kind of change is not something we pursue until it's forced upon us; that we only change our nature when the pain of continuing is too great to bear.

Which is why I think we are so often able to live without relying on God; we're not uncomfortable enough to leave our own work propping us up.  We're "in charge" so to speak, secure in our material world.  We have our 401K's, our career, our schedules, our network of family, friends, and faith worshipers... but we don't "need" God to get through our day.

I think it is only when we seek to fill that "hole in the soul" with God instead of all the other things in life that we try to fill it with, that we make that personal connection.

But I always have to check my thinking, because it's my thinking... and can fool myself into thinking I know the truth because it's what I tell myself.

However, by saying 'I give up my will and life to Him', (which I think is important to say in order to do) and asking God for direction in His Will for me, I start down that path to feeling God's presence in my life.

And what is God's Will?  To do the next right, loving thing for others; to praise Him for the gifts we have been given - and in doing so, that heart-presence is felt even more.

I hope that helps from someone who felt the same.